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Kundalini Yoga: Body Adjustment to Elevate the Spirit

Taught by Yogi Bhajan on July 2, 1984, in Espanola, New Mexico

Disease comes from structural change. This is the oriental, ancient way of looking at it. This body and its bones have no screws and bolts. It is held together by tissue and by muscle. During one’s life many movements occur in the body simultaneously influencing the action of the muscles. Certain muscles are stronger and hold the skeleton in a different way than the other muscles. This can lead to physical problems. Life becomes imbalanced and irritation sets in. The whole body structure is responsible for one’s elevation, for one’s “being-ness.” A car has its gas, it has transmission, and it starts. If one part is missing, or if just a little air does not get to the gas, it dies. It is the same with the body.

This set will keep you out of trouble. This is how you can elevate your spirit by adjusting your body.

1. Lie down flat on the back with the hands clasped under the neck. Keeping the heels together, raise both legs to 90 degrees as you inhale. Be sure to press your lower back into the floor before and during the lift, and lift from the navel. Lower the legs as you exhale. Do not bend the knees. But if you don’t have the abdominal strength to keep the legs straight, use your hands to provide leverage for your back by placing them on the floor under your buttocks. You can start with 54 repetitions and, with practice, build up to 108 repetitions.

2. Come into Triangle Pose. The palms of the hands and the soles of the feet are on the ground, with the feet about hip-width apart. Create a straight line between your wrists and your hips, and from your hips to your heels. Pull the chin in and elongate the back of the neck. Roll the armpits toward each other. Smoothly begin to move the body into Cobra Pose. In Cobra Pose your palms are flat on the ground and your body is arched up through the upper back. The feet are together. The shoulders are pressed down and the neck is long. Move smoothly from Triangle to Cobra to Triangle, etc. Do not bend the knees. Keep the arms straight if you have sufficient strength and flexibility, otherwise you may keep the arms bent with the elbows in towards the sides of the body. You can start with 21 repetitions and build up to 52 repetitions with practice.

3. Sit with your legs straight out in front of you. Flex the feet and engage the leg muscles as you reach forward from the navel and grab on to your toes (or as far down your legs as you can reach). Inhale in this position, and exhale as you lengthen the spine and bend farther forward. The head stays in line with the spine. Try to get the belly to the thighs rather than the head to the knees. Move up and down, inhaling up, exhaling down. Repeat 108 times.

4. Sit in Rock Pose* and interlace the fingers behind the neck. Twist the torso and head to the left and right. Repeat 108 times to each side.

5. Come onto your hands and knees. Relax the spine down and raise the head up on the inhalation (Cow Pose). Open the heart and raise the chin up without scrunching the back of the neck. On the exhalation, arch the spine up and lower the head (Cat Pose). Repeat 108 times.

6. Come into Rock Pose and roll the head around on the neck rapidly in one direction 52 times, and then in the opposite direction 52 times.

7. Still in Rock Pose, bend at the waist from side to side. As you bend to the left, your right arm will arch over your head, stretching in the direction of the bend. Then stretch to the right with your left arm reaching over your head. Repeat 52 times to each side.

This exercise is for the liver, spleen, colon, and to eliminate gas.

8. Remain in Rock Pose and reach one arm forward as if reaching out and grabbing energy. Then pull it back in, while reaching forward with the other arm. The movement is rapid and fluid. The shoulders and trunk move slightly in a churning motion. Chant Sa as one arm reaches forward, Ta as you pull that arm back and the other arm reaches forward, Na as the first arm reaches forward again, and Ma as the second arm reaches forward again. Continue for 5 minutes.

10. Lie down flat on your back. Close your eyes and relax to the sound of the gong. Continue for 10 minutes. Get ready for a journey into your inner self and float in space. You will gain a tremendous amount of energy.